What is PREPARE?

Prepare for Your Care (PREPARE) is an online resource that helps people begin the important process of planning for medical decision-making. Using video stories, PREPARE helps people explore their personal wishes and learn how to discuss them with family, friends, and medical providers. You can access the website by going to PREPAREforYourCare.org.

How can I donate and help support the PREPARE program?

Thank you for thinking of us. PREPARE is not a business, but a small program run out of the University of California, San Francisco. We depend on grants, license agreements, gifts, and donations to keep the website up and running and free to the public. Every little bit helps. If you would like to make a donation, please visit this site.

PREPARE is a free resource to the public, but some uses of PREPARE require a license. Companies, organizations, clinics, hospitals, insurers, employers, researchers or other institutions will need a license. You can find more information about PREPARE Licensing here.

Do I have to watch or go through all 5 steps of PREPARE?

No. You can pick which step or steps are the right ones for you. Each step below takes about 10 minutes to go through and answer questions about:

1. Choose a Medical Decision Maker

2. Decide What Matters Most to You

3. Choose Flexibility for Your Decision Maker

4. Learn How to Tell Others About Your Medical Wishes

5. Learn How to Ask Doctors the Right Questions

If you create a PREPARE account and sign in, PREPARE can save your answers. That way, if you want to go one step at time, PREPARE will save your answers and your place.

What are all the different PREPARE for YOUR Care materials?

PREPARE for YOUR Care has several different types of materials that can be helpful for different purposes:

The PREPARE for YOUR Care Website:

• Going through the PREPARE website and the 5 steps is a great way for someone to learn about what is important in their life and their health care. The website walks people step-by-step through important information, video stories, and questions tailored just for them.

PREPARE Printed Materials:

• The PREPARE easy-to-read Advance Directive for all 50 US states in English and Spanish, 13+ states in Chinese, and 11 languages in California. This form can be completed on the PREPARE website. It can also be downloaded and completed on a person’s computer or it can be printed and filled out in pen.

• The PREPARE for YOUR Care Guide Pamphlet: This a summary of the PREPARE program and can be used as a good reminder about what is in the program. It can also be helpful to print and hand out in clinics, at health fairs, or PREPARE movie events.

We also have other materials for providers and organizations:

• The PREPARE Question Guide for Group Movie Events: Some people prefer to answer questions about what is most important for their healthcare in a printed workbook form and not on a website.

• The PREPARE Movies for Group Events: All of the information, video stories and values questions have been combined into 5 separate PREPARE step movies. These movies are best for group events or group medical visits.

• The PREPARE Toolkit for Group Movie Events: This is a step-by-step guide with with all the materials needed to put on a group event and to show the PREPARE movies.

• 4-item Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: This validated survey can be used for research and quality improvement.

• Many other resources for providers and organizations can be found here.

Is PREPARE for YOUR Care in more than one language?

The online PREPARE for YOUR Care program is in English and Spanish. We are seeking funding to include additional languages, such as Chinese. The PREPARE easy-to-read Advance Directive is available for all 50 US states in English and Spanish, 13+ states in Chinese, and 11 languages in California.

Did someone send me to PREPARE for YOUR Care because they think I am really sick or dying?

No. Just like insurance, this type of planning is for ALL adults, at ANY age or stage of health. For example, Step 1 of the PREPARE website is about choosing a medical decision maker, and every person should do this. This makes sure that even if we get very sick, we can have a say in our healthcare. Planning ahead will help our family, friends, and medical providers know our wishes so they will not have to guess.

A few examples from the PREPARE for YOUR Care videos are about end of life care. I am not at the end of life or ready to think about this. Is PREPARE still right for me?

Yes, advance care planning is much more than care you want at the very end of life. It can be done by any adult at ANY age or stage in life.

Advance care planning is about taking the time to prepare and think about what is most important to your life and your medical care both now and in the future. Sharing this information with the people close to you is the best way to make sure you have a voice in your healthcare now and in the future. Planning ahead can also help our family, friends, and medical providers know our wishes so they will not have to guess.

Is PREPARE for YOUR Care right for me if I am not ready to complete an advance directive?

Many people are not ready to complete a legal advance directive form and that is OK. PREPARE can help you just get started. The website and videos will walk you through the steps to begin the process of deciding what is most important to you and your health care so you can begin to share that with your loved ones and medical providers. It can also help you decide on the right medical decision maker. Even watching one video can be helpful.

Are there other names for a medical decision maker?

Yes. Sometimes this person is called a surrogate or proxy decision maker, a patient advocate, or durable power of attorney for health care. However, all these terms mean the same thing.

What are the responsibilities (job) of a decision maker?

This information can be found on Page 3 and 4 of your state’s easy-to-read advance directive. In most states, if you are not able, a medical decision maker may choose these things for you:

• doctors, nurses, social workers, caregivers

• hospitals, clinics, nursing homes

• medications, tests, or treatments

• who can look at your medical information

• what happens to your body and organs after you die

Depending on how you fill out the form, here are more decisions your medical decision maker can make:

Start or stop life support or medical treatments, such as:

• CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• Breathing machine or ventilator

• Dialysis

• Feeding Tube

• Blood and water transfusions (IV)

• Surgery

• Medicines

End of life decisions your medical decision maker can make:

• call in a religious or spiritual leader

• decide if you die at home or in the hospital

• decide about autopsy or organ donation

• decide about burial or cremation

The PREPARE Easy-to-read Advance Directive allows you to write down the people that you do and do NOT want to make decisions for you and the decisions that you do and do not want them to make.

Who can be a medical decision maker?

A medical decision maker must be at least 18 years old. This person should be someone you trust to make medical decisions for you. It is important that they know you are naming them as your decision maker. Remember, your medical decision maker cannot be your doctor or someone who works at your hospital or clinic, unless they are a family member.

What makes a good decision maker?

This information can be found in Step 1 of the PREPARE website and on Page 3 of the easy-to-read advance directive.

A good medical decision maker is a family member or friend who:

• is 18 years of age or older

• can talk to you about your wishes

• can be there for you when you need them

• you trust to follow your wishes and do what is best for you

• you trust to know your medical information

• is not afraid to ask doctors questions and speak up about your wishes

Does my medical decision maker have a say in BOTH my health care and my finances?

A medical decision maker, sometimes also called a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare ONLY has a say about your medical care. They do not have a say about your finances. There is a separate durable power of attorney for finances form that can be filled out. Ask your social worker or lawyer about these separate forms.

Does having a medical decision maker mean only that person gets to make the decisions?

Often times, a group of family members and/or friends will come together to make healthcare decisions. When this occurs, conflict may result. This is why it is recommended that one person is named as the decision maker/healthcare agent/spokesperson to speak for the group. A secondary person can also be named as an alternative or backup.

Does my medical decision maker have a say in BOTH my health care and my finances?

A medical decision maker, sometimes also called a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, ONLY has a say about someone’s medical care. The medical decision maker does NOT have a say about your/their finances. There is a separate durable power of attorney for finances form that can be filled out. Ask your social worker or lawyer about these separate forms.

What about Conservatorship?

People who are conserved are those individuals whose doctors and lawyers have determined they can no longer make their own medical decisions and who have not yet filled out an advance directive naming a medical decision maker. In this case, a court appoints another party to be a conservator. This conservator can then make medical decisions for this person. They cannot fill out an advance directive for this person, but they can talk with the medical team and be involved in directing medical care for that person.

This is why it is important to name someone you trust to be your medical decision maker. You may even consider naming a back-up in case the first person cannot help when you need it.

Who will make decisions for me if my medical decision maker dies or becomes ill?

If the chosen medical decisions maker can no longer help anymore because of death or illness, the medical team will usually turn to the next of kin or a family member. An advance directive allows people to name an alternative or backup decision maker, which can be a good idea.

What is an advance directive?

An advance directive is a legal form that lets you have a say about how you want to be cared for if you cannot speak for yourself. It lets you name a trusted medical decision maker and write down your wishes for medical care.

To learn more, please view the video called “About Advance Directive Forms” on the PREPARE for THEIR Care homepage.

Why should I complete an advance directive?

Accidents happen unexpectedly at any age. If you are unable to speak, an advance directive will guide your doctor on your medical wishes and the kind of care that you would want. It will also help your doctor know who to turn to if any medical decisions need to be made for you.

Can I change my mind about my medical wishes?

You can always change your mind about your medical wishes at any time. This is your choice. If you create a PREPARE for YOUR Care account, the website will save your answers and will make it easy for you to change and update your wishes over time. If you do not create an account, you may need to start the PREPARE for YOUR Care questions over from scratch.

What do I do if I change my mind about my medical wishes?

If you change your mind about your wishes, and you have completed a PREPARE advance directive, update this form by filling out a new form or log into PREPARE and update your advance directive form.

Give the new form to your medical decision maker and medical providers. Destroy old forms.

What should I do with this advance directive once I fill it out?

We recommend giving a copy to your family, friends, and your medical providers. It is important to make sure your medical providers put this into your medical record. However, different hospitals or clinics do not share medical records. That is why it is so important for you to share your advance directives with as many people as possible, including all the medical providers you see. Some people keep this information on their phone. For your family and friends, you can take pictures of each page of your advance directive or even create a video that goes over each page and share in a text message or email.

How do I make the PREPARE Advance Directive legal?

You will have to sign and date the form. Then, you will need signatures from witnesses, a notary public, both or neither. Every US state has its own laws for witnesses and signatures. Pages 13-15 of the PREPARE Advance Directive provides your state’s specific rules about how to make the form legal.

Who can be a witness for my advance directive? What are they responsible for?

Every US state has its own laws about witnesses. Witnesses are people who may need to sign the form saying that it really was you who filled out and signed the advance directive. Page 13-14 of the PREPARE Advance Directive will tell you about the rules for witnesses in your state.

Does this advance directive form really count?

Yes. Doctors take these forms very seriously. The important part is for the person to talk to their family, friends, and medical providers about their wishes and give them a copy of the form or let them know where it is stored. This way, others can advocate for them if they are unable to speak for themselves. It is also important to bring the advance directive to medical providers so they can put a copy into the person’s medical record.

What is the difference between an advance directive, living will, or POLST form?

To learn more about the different types of forms, watch the video called “About Advance Directive Forms” on the PREPARE for THEIR Care homepage. This video goes over all the different types of forms and how they are different.

Does the PREPARE Easy-to-read Advance Directive cover both Durable Power of Attorney Forms and Living Will Forms?

This form meets the legal requirements for both Durable Power of Attorney and Living Will documents for all 50 US state and the District of Columbia. You can choose to fill out only Part 1 (to name a medical decision maker or durable power of attorney) or Part 2 (the living will section about medical wishes). This is your choice.

Can I write down what I would want if I were to get dementia?

This form is to act as a general guide because it is impossible to know about all the medical situations and treatments you may need in the future. Some people have had experiences themselves, with friends, or with family, or have religious beliefs that help them know they would or would not want certain treatment. If you feel strongly about a particular treatment, you can write this information on page 10 of the easy-to-read advance directive. (If you are using the PREPARE Question Guide, you can write this on page 7.) The advance directive gives you space to write all the things that may be important to you about your medical care.

Note: If you want to add other wishes or attach other forms, you can place them right after page 10 of the easy-to-read advance directive. These other forms can be a part of our legal easy-to-read advance directives because all of your wishes are important.

Can I write down my specific wishes about medical treatments like blood transfusions or dialysis?

Yes. This form is to act as a general guide because it is impossible to know about all the medical situations and treatments you may need in the future, such as dementia, dialysis, blood transfusions, or other treatments. Some people may have had their own experiences with friends or with family, or have religious beliefs that help them know that they would or would not want certain treatments in the case of serious illness. If you feel strongly about a particular treatment, such as dialysis or blood transfusions or care if you were to get dementia, you can write this information on page 12 of the PREPARE Advance Directive. The advance directive gives you space to write all the things that may be important to you about your medical care. Note: If you want to add other wishes or attach other forms, you can place them right after page 12 of the easy-to-read advance directive before you sign the form. You can even hand write your wishes on a piece of paper. These other forms and wishes can be a part of the legal easy-to-read advance directives because all of your wishes are important.

Can you just give me a laundry list of all of the possible health situations so I can say for sure what I want done in each situation?

The PREPARE for YOUR Care online program and the PREPARE Advance Directives focus on people’s values and overall goals for life and medical care because life is unpredictable. It hard for people to know exactly what they want in every medical situation or be able to anticipate every medical situation and what will be happening in their life and in their family at that time. Knowing what is important, overall can help you, your family and friends, and your medical providers decide on the care that is best for you over time.

However, some people may have had their own experiences with friends or with family, or have religious beliefs that help them know that they would or would not want certain treatments in the case of serious illness. If you feel strongly about a particular treatment such as dialysis or blood transfusions or care if you were to get dementia, you can write this information on page 12 of the PREPARE Advance Directive. The advance directive gives you space to write all the things that may be important to you about your medical care.

Note: If you want to add other wishes or attach other forms, you can place them right after page 12 of the easy-to-read advance directive before you sign the form. You can even hand write your wishes on a piece of paper. These other forms and wishes can be a part of the legal easy-to-read advance directives because all of your wishes are important.

Is POLST called something else in other states?

In other states, POLST may be called other names, such as POST, MOST, MOLST, or be in different colors. In many states the form is pink.

Most states have POLST forms, but some states do not. Ask your medical providers about the POLST form in your state.

Is an advance directive the same thing as a POLST form?

There are big differences between advance directives and POLST forms.

• An advance directive is a form that YOU fill out about your medical decision makers and your medical wishes. An advance directive can be completed by an adult at any age or stage in health.

• The POLST form is a medical ORDER that ONLY a doctor or medical provider fills out. That form is only about life sustaining treatment, such as CPR or going to the hospital, and has checkboxes. That form does not allow you to name a decision maker. The POLST form is meant for very sick people near the end of their life.

• The National POLST Paradigm website is a good place to learn more about POLST.

This video is also a great way to learn about POLST.

To learn more about the different types of forms you can watch the video called “About Advance Directive Forms” on the PREPARE for THEIR Care homepage.

Where can I learn more about POLST forms?

The National POLST Paradigm website is a good place to learn more about POLST.

This video is also a great way to learn about POLST.

To learn more about the different types of forms you can watch the video called “About Advance Directive Forms” on the PREPARE for THEIR Care homepage.